Device for supporting walls of a tile game



Aug'. 12, 1924. 1,504,634

L. W. LUCE DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING WALLS OF A 'IlLE GAME Filed May l5. 1923 ,o w1 2 3 ff I A7 w M wuemtofc Patented Aug., l2, 1924;

UNITED STATES LUCY W. LUCE, OF BROOKLYNy NEW" YORK.

DEVIGE/FORSUPPORTING WALLS OF A TILE GME.

i Application filed May .15,

`wall to form the hands or sets of the players. rilhe invention is, in part, an improvement upon and within the invention of my prior application Serial No. 635,955 filed May l, 1923.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention:

Fig. l is a plan view of the apparatus assembled to form a frame of definite proportions, within and against which to build the tile wall, a portion of which is indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation on a larger scale of one of the members, with a portion broken out because of limitation of space;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 'of Fig. 2, indicating the position of one of the tiles in the trough-rack; and

F ig. i is an elevation of one corner of the frame.

The frame of Fig. l is formed by inter locking the four separable members l, one of which is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3. Y

Each of these members comprises a trough-like, outwardly facing rack 2, having a base, a bac-k and ends, and open at the top and front, the ends being preferably formed by plates 3 applied tothe ends of the body, which may be of wood. The inner bottom face A; of the rack inclines downward and rearward, and the inner back face 5 inclines upward and rearward, so that the tiles are supported in an inclined position represented at a in Fig. 3, rendering them convenient to read and insuring against their toppling forward out of the trough. The length Yof the rack is so proportioned that, with the largest size of tiles on sale, there is sufficient room for the player to draw his full set of tiles and to provide ad- 192s."` serieu No. 639,063.

ditional space for slipping the tiles back and forthto assort them in suits, and the tiles cannot tumble over and become exposed to other players. The closed ends likewise keep the tiles from slipping off endwise.

` Projecting from the ends of the troughs and even with thel backs are Vinterlocking terminals 6, v6a formed by fiat bar pieces 7, 7 secured to the body by screws 8. ln some cases the bar part of the member might be continuous, but it is advantageous to divide it in two pieces, as shown, set in a groove 9 in the back face of thebody vor intermediate part, wherein they can be shifted longitudinally to increase or diminish the distance between the interlocks.

As in the prior application aforesaid, the interlocks are formed by slotting the projecting end portions half way from opposite edges, one interlock having a single slot l0, while the other has two slots 10a, 10a, the two slots being spaced apart by a distance corresponding approximately to the length of a tile, so that the wall may be built either with or without extra tile pieces. One of the ends, that which is provided with the downwardly facing slot, is also provided with a scalloped `projection l1 forming a handle for lifting this end to disengage the lock.

The movability of the interlocks of each member relatively to each other by sliding them on the body enables the frame mem.- bers to be set for different makes of tiles, which vary somewhatin composition and also slightly in proportions. This flexibility is best secured by forming the bar pieces with longitudinal slots 12, having countersunk edges, to accommodate the flush-head screws 8. By loosening these screws the bar pieces 7, 7a, or one of them, can be appropriately shifted, yand the screws can then be tightened to hold the parts in the desired relation.

What I claim as new is l. An apparatus for use in a tile game, comprising a set of members consisting of racks adapted Vto receive the hands of tiles of the respective players, with proj ect# ing interlocking terminals on the racks to form an enclosure of denite proportions,

the racks and terminals being constructed to form continuous surfaces against which to build the sides of a wall of tiles.

2. A member of an apparatus as set forth in the foregoing claim, further characterized by being constituted of a trough part and a at bar part affording the terminals, the back of the trough part being grooved and the Vbar part being set flushV into the groove, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for use in a tile game comprising a set of racks with interlocking terminals, the severa-l members containing I provision for increasing or diminishing the distances betweeny their terminals, substantially yas described,

5. An apparatus for use in building the Walls of a tile game, comprising a set of bars or members to form an enclosure of definite proportions within and against which -to build a wall of tiles, each of said members being formed at opposite ends, respectively, With a single slotted and a double slotted interlock, and having provision for increasing or diminishing the distance between the interlocks.

6v. An apparatus for use in buildingT the walls of a tile game, comprising a set of bars or members to form an enclosure 01"" definite proportions within and against which to build the wall of tiles, each of said mem.'- bers comprising an intermediate part and two end parts adapted to be fixed at difierent positions lengthwise with reference to the intermediate part, the end parts having interlocks.

LUCY W. LUCE. 

